For the past month I’ve been traveling the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, one of the oldest and most well-known of Christian pilgrimages. Well, at least I have been vicariously, thanks to the physical efforts and wonderful pictures and posts and blogs from our good friends Paul and Julie, who actually and literally have their boots on the ground there.

The Camino consists of a great number of different paths creating a spider web of routes across Spain, all concluding in Santiago de Compostela at the cathedral dedicated to Saint James, one of the original twelve apostles. Legends say he preached in Spain before his martyrdom, and after his death his disciples brought his body back to Spain, where it was buried in Santiago. Also known as The Way of St. James, the Camino features routes that begin in France, Portugal, Seville (the longest in Spain, at 620 miles) and Madrid and traverse landscapes barren and fertile, seacoasts and mountains, large cities and sparsely populated farmland.

My friends started their journey in St. Jean Pied de Port in France, known as the Camino Frances, or the French Way. The busiest and best-supported route, it covers 484 miles. In actuality, their trip started several years ago, when they were visiting Spain and first encountered pilgrims on The Way. It began their wheels turning, and they spent a lot of time researching the different routes and exploring whether this was something they could do. They fully committed to the adventure more than a year ago and have spent all that time preparing and getting in shape for the considerable physical demands of such a long trek.

Beginning on Sept. 11 in St. Jean, each day they’ve put in 14 or more miles, staying at auberges (hostels) along the way (sometimes 18 pilgrims to a room with shared bathroom facilities) but allowing themselves a rest day — usually in a hotel — about every six days or so to rest up, do laundry and sightsee. Everything they need for eight weeks is either on their backs or purchased along the way. They’ve made friends from all over the world (the U.K., South Africa, Israel and more) and tell stories of kindnesses and generosity from the local residents and other travelers alike.

Paul and Julie have just passed the half-way point on their pilgrimage, and it is clear from their smiles and their words that they are reveling in this shared journey. I have to admit, I’m more than a little envious and definitely feeling a case of itchy feet coming on.

Look back at the Bucket List article from January of this year to read about one Global Traveler writer’s experience on the Camino. Is it time for you to start dreaming of your own pilgrimage?

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor